One of the great perks in covering restaurants for The Journal News and lohud.com is heading to places outside my own neighborhood for the sake of good journalism. Most regular diners — and I count myself as a regular diner — gravitate toward places with familiar food, that are close to home, or perhaps have generated some buzz as the hot new place of the moment.

Such a mistake.

Take Bistro Rollin. It’s neither convenient (to me) or a hot new place, but you know what? I need to get here more often. The food is excellent, with some old-school Gallic classics such as French onion soup, escargots and creme brulee, along with fabulous modern constructions — order the tuna tartare and you’ll understand what I mean.

Owners Barbara and Arthur Bratone are worldy people, with careers that took them to Paris and the Middle East, respectively. While the world may be their oyster, the Bratones keep home close to the heart, reaching out to local vendors for produce, fish, meat and even some locally sourced small batch spirits on the cocktail menu.

The menu offers lots of options, from nightly specials to a weeknight prix-fixe three course dinner for $33. Two of our party of four went this route. I’m not partial to fixed menus, mostly because I never find the exact three courses I like (and end up eating something I don’t really want) but I scored three-for-three at Bistro Rollin.

I started with a big bowl of excellent lobster bisque — not too heavy, not too thick — with bits of crunchy crouton in every other mouthful, followed by charred hanger steak with French green beans and a dreamy potato gratin. For dessert, the vanilla bread pudding was one of the best I have ever had, crumbly and moist and studded with raisins, creme Anglaise and whipped cream.

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The rest of my group were equally awe-struck with adorably plump mini-New Orleans crab cakes, packed with meat and served with celery root slaw; and another bistro classic, a frisee salad with bacon, garlic and a poached egg.

For dinner, there was that roast chicken served with a celery root puree and roasted apples stuffed with pork sausage; mussels in a sweetish curry broth with a paper cone of house-made frites, and lastly, a burger, a beefy Bistro Rollin blend topped with Gruyere, pancetta and sauteed onions.

The Bratones opened the restaurant three years ago and renovated the storefront space with lots of dark wood paneling (crafted by a local cabinet maker), restored a pressed tin ceiling and added beveled mirrors and lovely low lighting. There are two dining spaces, one adjacent to the bar and a separate dining room. The Bratones just renovated the bar, adding a handmade oak and granite bar and a special menu. Now the R Bar is a chic little spot for a fast bite (or at two high tables near the window).

There is a convivial vibe about the place, which quickly filled up with diners early on a Tuesday night; neighbors greeted neighbors and everyone knew the waiter by name: Mark. Yet, we never felt like the out-laws at a big family reunion.

Yes, Pelham is a good half hour from home, but even I can appreciate the cliche: It’s worth the trip.